The applicant is well skilled in the knowledge of grain receiving and transporting devices. With his knowledge of the art, it is the applicant's considered opinion that the art does not include the combination of a self-cleaning bin construction with an anti-bridging valve which prevents bridging from occurring at such time as grain is received and held in the bin. Further, the art does not provide a unit which allows for easy opening of the grain bin for communication with a grain transporting device.
In the agricultural industry, harvesting of grain is done periodically throughout the growing season. Harvest of one grain may begin earlier than harvest of a second grain. In addition, very often the farmer will use part-time, semi-skilled help during the periodic labor-intensive process of harvesting. Accordingly, such semi-skilled help may have difficulty in backing a grain delivery truck over an opening which must receive grain and elevate grain to a storage bin. Accordingly, the grain receiving device is level with the ground to allow ease in manipulation of the grain truck over the receiving bin.
The grain receiving bin must be thoroughly cleaned between usage or grain will spoil within the below ground grain receiving bin and mix with subsequent deliveries of grain as the grain proceeds through the grain receiving bin transporting mechanism and into storage bins. Further, between delivery of grains, the holding bin must be cleaned out so that different types of grain are not mixed. Because of the shape and size of the grain holding bin, it is very difficult to clean and this invention serves to obviate the need for cleaning the bin. Further, grain stored in the holding bin, even for a short time, will oftentimes bridge or plug through the natural arching of the granular material over the holding bin outlet and the purpose of this invention is to prevent the bridging while allowing easy opening of the grain bin outlet.
In accordance with the background of the invention, it is, therefore, an object of the applicant's invention to provide a grain receiving and transporting device which is self-cleaning.
In accordance with the background of the invention, it is, therefore, an object of the applicant's invention to provide a grain receiving and transporting device which is anti-bridging.
It is a further object of the applicant's invention to provide a grain receiving and transporting device with a means for controlling the flow rate of the grain from the grain holding bin.
It is a further object of the applicant's invention to provide a grain receiving and transporting device which facilitates receiving grain from a grain truck driven by a semi-skilled operator.
These and other advantages of the applicant's application will more fully appear upon consideration of the accompanying description which incorporates the included drawings.